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08 November 2015

Gallery Wall for Renters + Awesome Prank Idea

These photos are taken from opposite ends of the gallery wall in my apartment. If you look closely at the photos in the pictures, you can see where the two photos overlap, but this is one loooong gallery wall.

At this point, having a wall with dozens of pictures taped to it wherever I live is becoming a signature move for me, although it takes slightly different forms in each of my homes. You can see my first renter's gallery wall here. When we moved to China, I took all the pictures with me and taped them to the wall in our apartment there. When we moved here, I made a few improvements by adding about 20 new photos, from Hawaii and China and Hong Kong, to the photo collection, thereby updating and expanding the wall. Also, this time I went with the system of having the photos span the entire length of the wall, and then built up from one solid line. This way, I can add more recent photos as I print them, easily.

I've found the photo walls to be a big hit with guests. Friends love finding themselves on the wall, and conversely, if they can't find themselves on the wall, they swear to print a picture and give it to me so that my wall can have their face on it. Some people have tried to propose the theory that a mathematical calculation of how many times a person's face appears on that wall is directly proportional to how much I love them. The clear "winners" of that calculation are Angel and myself, so maybe they're on to something.

Now. Here's what I have to tell you. I recently had an idea for a brilliant prank involving a gallery wall, and because gallery walls, whether the framed version or the tape version, are so popular, I had to share it with you. My preferred pranks are of the genuinely non-harmful, bizarrely amusing kind, and this fits in just right with my tastes.

Do this: Next time a friend is bringing someone you don't know over to the house, find out their name ahead of time. Search them on Facebook, find a picture--profile picture, or one buried deep in their albums, print it out on decent quality paper, and put it in your gallery wall.

When the friend of a friend arrives at your house, they will inevitably stop to admire your gallery wall, because it's a rather distinctive design feature. Because most of the people in the photos are strangers to them, their eyes will glance over all the unfamiliar faces until they find one they recognize--their own! Then they will be somewhat disturbed, but they might not want to say anything since they don't really know you, and the rest of the evening you will spend trying not to burst into laughter. Or else they will say something, and you'll all bond over the ridiculous awkwardness, and you'll become fast friends. Boom.

*Bonus points: You're a blogger, right? When you inevitably decide to blog about your gallery wall, download and print off a picture from one of your regular reader's blogs, and add it to the wall. When they happen to spot that extremely familiar photo in the pictures you post in your gallery wall tutorial, they will also be confused and possibly freaked out. The only downside is that in this situation you won't get to actually be present to see their reaction.

Painter's tape works the best for me, because it sticks for as long as you need it to but it comes off without damaging anything! I add to the wall each time, but a lot of these are the original photos. Some of them are getting a little bent/beat up from their treatment over time, haha!

We went to someone's house for a Christmas party last year an they had a gallery wall 4-5 times the size of yours. And each picture had a frame. I wanted to laugh actually. It was kind of awful. I'm not against gallery walls at all but they seemed to think it was Pinteresty and it was just annoying. Someday I'll put a (small) one up :)

Your gallery wall looks awesome! I'd love to have something like that. At the moment I still have the photos we took of our toddler up on the walls (just with blue-tack) because I like the way it looks, even if it's not all framed and fancy. I'd really like to get a proper gallery wall going when we find a new place.

I'm glad you didn't do this prank to us although it would have been really funny after the initial shock / weirdness. Dave probably would have started looking for a monkey if our picture had been on the wall... ;)

I loved your gallery wall! It was fun to see you and your family. It's like a snapshot of your life all on a wall.

That prank is hysterical!!! I was actually planning to do exactly that when I had some blog friends visit last year, but I ended up getting sick and it never happened. I'll just have to do it to someone else ;)

Your prank is so funny to me! My parents always have a million photos at their house and I've always wanted to go over one day when I know they're gone and change all of the photos to someone famous or something - see if they notice right away lol

I rarely comment on blog posts but I had to tell you that I simply adore your prank idea!!! I have been reading your blog for quite a while and I vastly enjoy your sense of humor. What you find interesting is very similar to what I find interesting. I think we would be friends. :) I visit your blog very frequently and I love the surprises and variety it presents. Please keep it up! ~A faithful reader and unfaithful commenter ;)

That's awesome :) I have that kind of wall in my son's room, all his favorite artwork we tape up on the wall. It's a huge mural at this point LOL We're running out of space. Love your wall darling, so charming!! Take Care Rachel! -Iva

I love your solution because it is (1) cheap and (2) beautiful! I love pictures and I wish I could find ways to display more of them on our walls. Your prank idea is pretty crazy, I hope you get a chance to try it someday. :)

Hello, I'm Rachel. I enjoy colorful hair, quirky fashion, and correct grammar in multiple languages. My heart belongs to a man named Angel and the families we share. We love our community in Southeast Asia and live for the God who loved us first.